Carpet forming device



July 10, 1956 H. G. LUSTIG 2,753,820

CARPET FORMING DEVICE Filed Oct. 10, 1952 2 SheetsSheet 1 24 20 l l 1m 1| 46 "I I i -48 I /5 l E 5' i I E I 3] ll i! 3 72 \44 34 7a 42 f: T g

--90 if 22 50 /36 52 66 g as so 5 INVENTOR HANS G. LUST/G ATTORNEY July 10, 1956 H. G. LUSTIG CARPET FORMING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 10, 1952 m R 07 Y Ms E Em. M V m w 6 m a 0 1 3% J: M S 5 H I3 A Z 6 w 5 F. W m R CARPET FORMING DEVICE Hans G. Lustig, Lake Placid, N. Y., assignor of one-fifth to Morton Amster, New York, N. Y.

Application October 10, 1952, Serial No. 314,017

4 Claims. (Cl. 11280) This invention relates to stitching machines, and more particularly to a device for forming either looped-pile or cut-pile carpeting.

In the manufacture of rugs and the like, pile material is usually stitched to a fabric base to form looped-pile carpet. When the pile is once applied, it is often necessary to cut the looped-pile to obtain cut-pile carpeting.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel device which may be employed, for forming looped-pile or cut-pile carpeting.

It is another object. of the present invention to provide a positively controlled carpet-forming device capable of uniformly applying loop stitching to a fabric base.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stitching machine which will apply loop stitching onto a suitable carpet base and thereafter cut the applied loop stitching to give a cut-pile effect to the carpet.

Yet a further object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the aforesaid character in which the applied loop stitchings are equidistant rendering it possible to obtain loopedor cut-pile carpeting having a uniform appearance.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a looped-pile carpeting forming device which may be readily converted for the formation of cutpile carpeting without requiring extensive manipulation or rearrangement of the mechanisms.

The foregoing and other objects will become apparent from the following brief description of an illustrative embodiment particularly advantageous for producing uniformly piled carpeting having either a looped or cut-pile effect. Certain objects are obtained according to this embodiment by the provision of punches for pre-forming holes in a fabric base; for loop stitching pile material onto the fabric base in the pre-formed holes and for holding the applied loop material during a cutting operation when cut-pile carpeting is being manufactured. As successive loop stitches are being formed, loop retainers are operative to prevent the withdrawal of previously formed stitches. The formed loops are severed at their extremities remote from the fabric base by one or more knives arranged to cut the loop stitching as the stitching is firmly held against distention by the punches. A single drive and steering mechanism is arranged. to operate the respective punches, the loop retainers and the cutting knives in proper timed sequence to pre-forrn the holes, loopstitch the pile material, and when required, sever the loop stitching.

The above objects and brief description will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of the carpet-forming device of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view taken along line 2-2 nited States Batent O 2,753,820 Patented July 10, 1956 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, with parts broken away and sectioned;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, with parts broken away and shown in section, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical lay-out of the steering mechanism for the carpet-forming device.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the carpet-forming device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and including an elongated frame 10 carrying two spaced apart transversely extending supporting plates 12, 14. Arranged intermediate plates 12, 14 is a barrel cam 16 which is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 18 and an axially aligned sleeve 26. Stub shaft 18 is journaled in a bearing seat 22 formed in plate 12, while sleeve 20 is rotatably supported in an opposed seat 24 in plate 14. The sleeve 20 is keyed to a drive shaft 26 of an electric motor, not shown, mounted within a housing 28 having an integral handle 30. The motor is arranged in accordance with well known principles, and for the pres ent purposes it will suffice to state that the motor may be energized from a suitable source by manipulating a trigger switch 32 depressabie into the handle 30.

A pair of longitudinally extending slide supports 34, 36 are arranged at spaced peripheral locations of barrel cam 16 and form part of the frame 11 which additionally includes a shield 33 arranged about the barrel cam 16 and forming a housing for the latter. The slide supports 34, 36 are provided with longitudinal undercut slideways 38, 40 which dovetail with complementary slide members 42, 44 supported therein for reciprocal movement. The longitudinally movable slide members 42, 44 are coupled to the barrel cam 16 by cam followers 46, 48 riding along the track 56 of barrel cam 16. The details of the cam drive for imparting positive steering motions to the reciprocable slide members 42, 44 will be described in connection with theoperation of the device.

Depending from the slide support 34 of frame 10 is a supporting shoe or sled 52 including a transversely extending rectangular frame-like rest 54 spaced from and substantially parallel to the plates 12, 14. p

The supporting shoe 52 initially maintains the barrel cam 16 and the slide members 42, 44 operated thereby at a fixed distance from the fabric base A, the framelike rest 54 bearing against the base A about the region to be provided with pile material B.

in order to loop stitch the pile material B into the fabric base A at uniformly spaced intervals, groups of punches operable in response to movement of slide member 42 are provided for pre-forming holes in the base, loop stitching the pile material B into the base A, and for restraining the loop stitching against distention. Specifically, an L-shaped supporting head 56 has its longer leg 53 fixed longitudinally of the inner face of slide member 42, the short leg 50 carrying a pair of lead spacer punches 62, 62'. The cone-shaped punches 62, 62' depend from supporting head 56 and are adapted to pierce the fabric base A for pre-forming lead holes therein. An auxiliary supporting head 64 removably mounts a pair of pile-inserting spacer punches 66, 66' at locations spaced inwardly from and trailing the lead spacer punches 62, 62'. The respective pile-inserting spacer punches 66, 66' are formed with longitudinally extending guides 68, 68' for the pile material B opening into beveled points 70, 70 which are extensible into the pre-formed holes in the fabric base A. A further auxiliary supporting head 72 removably carries a pair of knife-guiding spacer punches 74, 74 arranged inwardly of the pile-inserting punches 66, 66' and in alignment therewith. The knife-guiding spacer punches 74, 74' depend from a common knurled 3 clamping foot or base 76, which periodically engages the fabric base B.

Subsequent to the application of the pile material B by the punches or needles 66, 66, it is necessary to restrain the partially formed loops as the punches 66, 66' are with drawn from the base A for entry into successive preformed holes.

For this purpose, a horizontally extending U-shaped supporting head '78 is connected to the slide member 44 and carrier loop retainers Sii, 86. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the loop retainers 80, 80 abut against and are guidingly engaged by the respective pile-inserting spacer punches 66, 66 and are formed with forked ends for contact with the applied loop stitching.

A removable knife assembly is provided which is movable relative to the spacer punches '74, 76' and is periodically operated by the slide member 44 for cutting the applied loop stitching. Specifically, the knives 82, 82. are mounted in spacer punches '74, '74 for longitudinally reciprocable movement. Each of the knives carries an operating element 84 slidable on a rod 36 having an enlarged end or stop 38 and supported on the clamping foot 76. Encircling the rod 86 is a spring 90 normally biasing the associated knife 82 into the inoperative position, as illustrated. The knives 32, 82' are periodically driven by a resilient driving arm 92 connected to the slide member 44. The resilient driving arm 92 includes a pair of spaced apart transversely extending fingers 94, 94 adapted to engage the operating elements 84 of the respective knives S2, 82 and a follower 96 riding along and bearing against a releasing member 98 which is supported on the clamping foot 76 of the knife-guiding spacer punches 74, 74.

Referring now to Fig. 4 there is shown a lay-out of the track 59 of the steering earn from which the operation of the device can be readily understood. At the beginning of a typical cycle of operation the slide member 42 is in its retracted position, carrying with it the associated pairs of lead spacer punches 62, 62, pile-inserting spacer punches 66, 66 and knive-guiding spacer punches 74, 74. Thereafter and in the first third of the cycle the various punches are driven toward the fabric base A under the steering action of the cam follower 46 of the slide member 42.

During this interval the loop retainers 8t), 80 under the control of cam follower 48 displaced 120 degrees along the cam track 50, are being driven away from the fabric base A. When the various punches come into the operative or piercing position at approximately the end of the first third of the cycle, the lead holes are formed, pile material inserted and the previously inserted loop stitchings contrained for the cutting operation. In the next third of the cycle the clamping foot 76 firmly engages the previousiy formed loop stitches and. the loop retainers 8%, 30' begin moving toward the fabric base A. Concurrent with the movement of the loop retainers, the cutting knives 82, 82' are driven into the previously formed loops to effect the cutting operation. The knives 82, 82' lead the loop retainers 8t 89 and accordingly the cutting operation is completed prior to the loop retainers reaching the operative or fully extended position. In the last third of the cycle the loop retainers 8t 36' remain in the fully extended position while the respecti e pairs of punches are being moved away from the fabric base A in response to the control exerted by the cam follower 46 of the slide member 42. In this latter interval the loop retainers function to prevent withdrawal of the loops inserted in the fabric base A by the pile inserting spacer punches 66, 66.

In operation cut-pile carpeting is formed substantially in the following manner:

The horizontally extending rectangular rest 54 is brought to bear over the fabric base A, whereupon the motor (not shown) is energized by depressing the trigger switch 32. The motor drives the barrel cam 16 to impart positive steering motions to the slide members 42, 44 which are displaced 120 degrees relative to each other along the cam track 50. Rotation of the barrel cam 16 causes the slide member 42 to be driven downwardly and toward the fabric base A, whereupon the equidistant and aligned punches enter the fabric base.

The punches 62, 62 serve to pre-form lead holes in the fabric base, while the pile-inserting spacer punches 66, 66 simultaneously insert the pile material into a previously formed hole and the clamp foot 76 of the knife-guiding spacer punches 74, 74 constrains the loops to be cut. As the slide member 42 is moving downwardly the slide member 44 is moving upwardly carrying with it the loop retainers 80, 80'. Also the resilient driving arm 92 moves upwardly along the releasing member 93, the follower 96 of the arm 92 hearing against the releasing member 98 during this movement.

When the slide member 44 reaches its retracted or uppermost position, the fingers 94, 94' of the resilient driving arm 92 overlie the operating elements 84 or the respective knives 82, 82. It is to be noted that the clamping foot 76 which serves as the support for the knives is in engagement with the fabric base. Continued rotation of the barrel cam 16 causes the slide member 42 to be driven downwardly carrying with it the knives 82, 82 and the loop retainers 80, 89. During the downward movement of the loop retainers and the cutting knives, the respective punches are maintained in the fully extended position.

As previously pointed out in connection with Fig. 4, the cutting operation is completed prior to the loop retainers '80, 80' reaching the lowermost position. Upon completion of the cutting operation, the release member 98 serves to urge the fingers 94, 94 out of driving engagement with the respective knives 82, 82 whereupon the springs 90 restore the knives to the retracted position illustrated. After the completion of the cutting opcration and release of the knives, the loop retainers reach the fully extended position under the control of the barrel cam 16, whereupon the punches begin to move upwardly and away from the fabric base. As the punches move away from the fabric base, the loop retainers remain in the fully extended position due to the design of the cam track 50 and prevent the withdrawal of the loop stitchings previously inserted by the pile-inserting spacer punches 66, 66'.

This cyclic operation continuously repeats itself with the punches 66, 66' entering the holes pro-formed by the punches 62, 62, and the punches 74, 74' entering previously inserted loops which are now to be cut.

In operation looped-pile carpeting is formed in substantially the same manner. However, it is necessary to remove the cutter assembly and the drive mechanism therefor. This can be readily accomplished by detaching the resilient driving arm 92 from the slide member 44, so that the knives 82, 82' are never brought out of the normal retracted position.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a carpet-forming device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention can be alternately used for the formation of looped-pile and cut-pile carpeting. The conversion of the mechanism is exceptionally simple and does not require a rearrangement of the steering control which continuously serves to impart the requisite motions to the various components of the device.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage Without a corresponding use of other features.

What I claim is:

1. A carpet-forming device for applying pile material to a fabric base comprising a frame having an open baseengaging sled, a driven cam mounted on said frame, first and second slides, means mounting said slides on said frame for reciprocatory movement toward and away from said sled, loop-stitching means operatively connected to said first slide and movable through and past said sled for stitching pile material into said fabric base, loopretaining means cooperating with said loop-stitching means, said loop-retaining means being operatively connected to said second slide and movable through and past said sled for retaining pile material in said fabric base after stitching, a support operatively connected to said first slide, a knife mounted on said support for movement in relation to said loop-stitching and loop-retaining means for cutting pile material, spring means arranged to bias said knife into a retracted position in relation to said loopstitching means, and means periodically operated by said econd slide and operative to drive said knife into an extended cutting position, the reciprocation of said first and second slides and the means periodically operated by said second slide being arranged such that said knife is effective to sever a previously formed loop during formation of the next succeeding loop by said loop-retaining and loopstitching means.

2. A carpet-forming device for applying pile material to a fabric base comprising a frame having an open baseengaging sled, a driven cam mounted on said frame, first and second slides, means mounting said slides on said frame for reciprocatory movement toward and away from said sled, a loop-stitching member operatively connected to said first slide and movable through a linear stroke past said sled for stitching pile material into said fabric base in the form of loops, a loop-retaining member nested within said loop-stitching member, said loop-retaining member being operatively connected to said second slide and movable through a linear stroke past said sled for retaining a loop in said fabric base after stitching, a support operatively connected to said first slide, a knife mounted on said support in trailing relation to said cooperating loop-stitching and retaining members and movable in relation to said loop-stitching and loop-retaining members for cutting successive formed loops, spring means arranged to bias said knife into a retracted position in relation to said loop-stitching and loop-retaining members, and means periodically operated by said second slide and operative to drive said knife into an extended cutting position.

3. A carpet-forming device for applying pile material to a fabric base comprising a frame including a horizontally-extending sled formed with an opening, a driven cam mounted on said frame, first and second slides, means mounting said slides on said frame for reciprocatory movement in spaced parallel paths toward and away from said sled and at right angles to said sled, a loop-stitching member operatively connected to said first slide and movable through said opening in said sled for loop stitching pile material into said fabric base, a loop-retaining member cooperating with said loop-stitching member, said loopretaining member being operatively connected to said second slide and movable through said opening in said sled for retaining pile material in said fabric base after loop stitching, a support operatively connected to said first slide, a knife mounted on said support for movement in a path parallel to and trailing said loop-stitching and loop-retaining members for cutting pile material, means arranged to urge said knife into a retracted position in relation to said loop-stitching and loop-retaining members, and means periodically operated by said second slide and operative to drive said knife through a predetermined stroke and into an extended cutting position, the reciprocation of said first and second slides and the periodic operation of said knife being arranged such that said knife is effective to sever a formed loop during formation of the next loop by said loop-retaining and loopstitching members.

4. A carpet-forming devic for applying pile material to a fabric base comprising a frame having a horizontalextending, base-engaging sled, a driven barrel cam mounted on said frame, first and second slides, means mounting said slides on said frame for reciprocatory movement in parallel paths toward and away from said sled and at substantially right angles thereto, loop-stitching means operatively connected to said first slide and movable through and past said sled for stitching pile material into said fabric base, loop-retaining means cooperating with said loop-stitching means, said loop-retaining means being operatively connected to said second slide and movable through and past said sled for retaining pile material in said fabric base after stitching, a support operatively connected to said first slide, a knife mounted on said support for movement through a predetermined stroke in relation to said base-engaging sled for cutting stitched pile material, spring means arranged to bias said knife into a retracted position relative to said loop-stitching and loop-retaining means, and means periodically operated by said second slide and operative to drive said knife through said predetermined stroke and into an extended cutting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,452,632 Barnett Apr. 24, 1923 2,365,013 Sharkey et al Dec. 12, 1944 2,605,727 Hurley Aug. 5, 1952 2,682,842 Salle July 6, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 504,100 Germany Mar. 7, 1931 639,845 Great Britain July 5, 1950 

